An innovative, successful law firm intranet is an asset. Built according to user demand, it is a customized information portal that enables all employees to find the right information at the right time. Whether you call it an intranet, portal, or platform, this site gathers the collective knowledge of a firm’s departments and makes it searchable and accessible. The ability to find information quickly and from one source saves time and money. On the best law firm intranets, you can expect to see information resources germane to all firms and, especially important, information relevant to a firm’s specialty. Often, the library contributes many of the most frequently used resources.
A Welcome to the Library page serves as a guide to all services available with links to those accessible online. The content is categorized by the type of information. Here is a listing of optimal content:
Core Collection
- Catalog of the firm’s print and digital books and journals
- Ask the Librarian research request form
- Document delivery request form for books or journal articles
- Links to resources of legal forms
- Links to the firm’s searchable archival collection(s) if available
News
- Access to news that is relevant to the firm and clients including business/competitor news; scientific news; and international, national, and state general news
- Links to recent relevant state, federal, and/or international legislation and legislative news
- Hot topic tracking for practice groups or individuals
- Alerts and tracking request form
- Firm newsletter or blog
People
- Staff directory with profiles, pictures, mobile phone, and other contact information including information on whom they report to and who reports to them.
- Information professionals’ contact information
- Client information (such as found in LinkedIn)
- Subject Matter Experts database pertinent to firm specialty
Tools
- Access to all available licensed digital resources (like Lexis Advance, Westlaw, and Innography) with links to training
- Customer service contact information for major legal information vendors
- Knowledgebase of FAQs (How do I get a Lexis ID? Is Westlaw training offered?)
- Policies and procedures of the library
- Training opportunities, whether live or on-demand
- Case studies, presentations
- Library research guides
Finally, the most successful intranets employ responsive web design, making them accessible across mobile device types.
Related Posts
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many law firm libraries are finding that one of their biggest challenges during [...]
There’s just something about Fall that has us craving pumpkin lattes and learning. We’ve rounded up some [...]
Law firm administrators should consider evaluating their library collection on a periodic basis to keep [...]